Chapter 10: Reflection

I stutter during my presentation, I'm dead 🗿🗿🗿🗿

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"It looks like I'm stuck in this hospital for a few more days before they let me go. Damn, I really don't want to stay in this depressing place," Toya grumbles, alone in the stark hospital room.

Where are his parents, you may wonder? He had sent them home to give himself some space.

"But my situation feels like it's straight out of a H anime, needing someone else's help just to get to the hospital," Toya chuckles, a hint of amusement in his eyes despite the lingering regret of sending his family away.

"Maybe I should use this time to train my Quirk until I get the hang of it. My flame seems to grow stronger the more I use it, but my body can't handle the heat," Toya muses aloud, his thoughts wandering. 'Could this be a perk of being reincarnated? My Quirk seems to be abnormally stronger than ever.'

Toya starts to experiment with his flame, manipulating it with newfound determination. He brings the tips of his fingers together, creating five slender strings of flame.

His main focus is on improving his control over the fire, as he hasn't yet figured out how to reduce the flame's temperature. He experiments with shaping the flame strings, testing their strength by pulling them apart.

Eventually, Toya gets bored of playing with his flames and finds himself gazing out the window at the sky.

He sighs deeply, "Why did you choose me to be in this body? I was just a regular cashier, barely making ends meet. I'm still puzzled as to why you gave me this chance. I can't shake the feeling that whoever or whatever brought me here expects something in return. There's always a catch to these kinds of opportunities."

Toya finds it hard to believe that a higher power would reincarnate someone just for kicks. It just doesn't align with their level of power.

"Or maybe I'm just overthinking things," Toya muses, laying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. "But I'm grateful for the loving family you've given me."

After a few minutes of silence, Toya voices his concerns, "I'm not very confident about surviving in this world with a Quirk that has such strong side effects on my body. If only I had a Phoenix-like or some kind of healing ability, I could start my training. This side effect is stopping me from getting good with my Quirk."

As his eyes grow heavy, he murmurs, "I should get some sleep."

With that, Toya closes his eyes, giving in to sleep as he prepares for the challenges of the next day.

...

The following morning,

A nurse enters Toya's room to assist him with his morning routine. As she helps him clean up, Toya's cheeks turn crimson, embarrassed by the intimate assistance and her casual comment on his privates.

Feeling thoroughly humiliated, Toya sighs inwardly, 'I'll have to endure this awkwardness every time nature calls.'

Once the uncomfortable ordeal is over, he makes his way back to his bed and props himself up against the pillows.

"Do you fancy some breakfast, young man?" The nurse asks, her tone friendly and professional.

"Yes, please," Toya responds, grateful for the change of subject.

"Alright, I'll be back shortly," she says, exiting the room with a gentle close of the door.

Toya covers his face with his hands, muttering under his breath, "That was mortifying. Never in my life did I think I'd need help to pee because someone was worried I'd hurt myself."

A few minutes later, the nurse returns, carrying a tray with a yakisoba bun on it.

"Here's your breakfast. If you need anything at all, just press the call button, okay?" she reassures him, her smile warm and comforting.

"Ok," Toya replies, managing a small smile in return.

With a final wave, the nurse leaves the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Toya quickly devours the bun, the savory flavors a welcome distraction. Once finished, he leans back against his pillows, fatigue pulling him back into sleep's embrace.

Several hours later, his family arrives. Fuyumi, ever the doting sister, rushes to her brother's side, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Onii-chan, when can you come home?" Fuyumi asks, her eyes filled with longing.

Toya simply offers her a comforting smile. Rei, sensing her daughter's disappointment, gently strokes Fuyumi's hair and assures her, "Onii-chan will come home once he's fully recovered, okay?"

"Okay," Fuyumi concedes, her voice a whisper.

"Have you eaten, Toya?" Rei inquires, her maternal instincts kicking in.

"I had a yakisoba bun that the nurse brought me," Toya replies, his stomach grumbling slightly at the memory.

"I thought you might still be hungry, so I brought you a bento," Rei says, pulling out a neatly packed Tupperware from her bag.

"You know me so well, Okaa-san. Thank you," Toya says, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the homemade meal.

"You're welcome," Rei replies, her smile warm and loving.

Toya starts to eat, savoring each bite of his mother's cooking. However, his peaceful meal is interrupted when Fuyumi needs to use the bathroom. Rei escorts her, leaving Toya alone with Enji.

"So, Otou-san, aren't you going to ask me anything?" Toya prompts, breaking the silence.

"...No, you're still recuperating," Enji replies, his voice gruff but filled with concern.

"It's fine, go ahead and ask. You're my Otou-san, I'm sure you have questions," Toya encourages him.

"Are you mentally okay, my son?" Enji asks, getting straight to the point.

"I'm fine, nothing's scarred me. So, smile, smile. You've been so gloomy, but don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault," Toya reassures him.

Enji falls silent, knowing Toya is right. It's not his fault; it's Phantom's. In his heart, Enji makes a silent vow to make Phantom pay.

"So, cheer up, Otou-san. It's not going to be a good day if you keep wearing that gloomy face," Toya says, trying to lighten the mood.

Just then, the door to Toya's room swings open, revealing an energetic Fuyumi. "Onii-chan, I'm done peeing. Let's play!"

"Okay," Toya replies, his smile genuine and wide.

Seeing his children's radiant smiles, Enji can't help but smile too. He realizes that he's been so focused on surpassing All Might that he hasn't noticed these precious moments.

'I need to spend more time with my family,' Enji thinks to himself, a newfound resolution forming in his heart.